Two of a Kind
by tofoo
Summary: They were like two sides of the same coin, slightly different, but essentially the same. But when time and fate interfere, they find themselves on opposite sides of the chasm, one too fast to forget and one unable to move on from the past. What happens when Levi is forced to face the past and the person he tried so hard to forget? LevixOC (Credits to YukiPri for the cover image)
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1:Prologue**

**Year 845**

The night was quiet, the wind whispering softly through the trees, the sky a black curtain over humanity's fortress. The Survey Corps headquarters was silent, save for the occasional murmur of fear in the new recruits' barracks, a manifestation of the uncertainty for survival, the uncertainty of simply living for the next week. It was something that was omnipresent; it was part and parcel of the Survey Corps, a constant reminder of the bloody nature of their jobs.

Hushed zephyrs, slipping between two silhouettes shrouded under the veil of the night.

The silence between humanity's strongest pair was thick with unspoken messages.

A soft hand over his, its warmth a comforting blanket in the cool night. Their breaths were soft and shallow.

Two pairs of steel blue orbs, staring straight ahead, wary of tomorrow yet desperate to leave today.

They had left him alone. Again.

_Every single one of them. Every single one, except her._

He had watched, helpless, as they left him, one by one, slipping down the throats of the heartless man-eaters, gnashed in their jaws, his name ripped out of their throats in tortured screams.

"It's not your fault," her voice was calm, collected, temporarily soothing his morbid mind.

_No. _

His hand trembled under hers, his breaths coming short. He had failed to save them, his comrades; the soldiers who had devoted their lives to become humanity's wings of freedom. They had willingly placed all their hope in him, their trusted heichou, humanity's strongest soldier.

He had failed all of them.

Her grip tightened, as if it was holding on to his sanity, keeping him from slipping over the edge.

"Levi-"

"They believed in me, all of them, and I couldn't do a single thing." His face was devoid of emotion, the effect of years spent as humanity's strongest soldier.

She knew it. The strained undertone in his voice, the way his grip had tightened to match hers.

_He's breaking._

"That's right Levi, no matter what you did, you _couldn't _have saved them." Her normally light voice hardened slightly with conviction.

He remained silent as she continued.

"Their soldiers, Levi, they knew they were going to die, they were ready to die. In this Legion, we all are. You were ready to sacrifice your life to save them and they were ready to do the same for you. So do them a favor and get over it, let their determination and spirit spur you on, be the captain that they placed all their hope in."

She took a deep breath, allowing them to lapse into their state of non-verbal communication once more, her bangs casting an ominous shadow over her eyes.

The wind picked up once more; her onyx tresses ghosted past her shoulders, tickling her back slightly above her waist. Normally, Levi would be nagging her to tie it up, but no one was in the mood for such mundane mannerisms today.

_I will obliterate those bloody titans._

She didn't need to hear it to sense his change in spirit. His clenched fist trembled with his anger and his whole body tensed. She turned as she felt him shift to face her, steel blue gaze boring holes in her profile.

As blue steel met blue steel, his silent message was clear.

_Don't die. Don't leave me alone._

**Year 845—After the breach of Wall Maria**

The aftermath of the breach of the wall was pure chaos.

The entire Shiganshina District was in ruins, debris from the damaged 50 meter wall lay haphazardly across the town, the steaming carcasses of titans and humans alike littering the roads. The survivors were emotional wrecks, crammed onto the boats, their faces reflecting a myriad of emotions. Relief from finding a relative alive and in one piece, uncertainty from what the future holds, anguish from losing a loved one. The list went on.

The casualties were heavy, to say the least. The list of missing individuals was long enough to graze the ankles of the average soldier, or, in the case of a certain (vertically challenged) corporal, the floor. No one really knew what had happened to the listed individuals; it was rather difficult to identify the many half-eaten bodies, let alone the regurgitated remains. However, given the circumstances, it was almost certain that they were dead. Needless to say, with the matters at hand almost every soldier present was kept on their toes by the recovery efforts.

A certain ebony-haired corporal adjusted his cravat as he studied the list of missing personnel. The list was quite strange, really, apart from the usual civilians and cadets, it included a high-ranking Colonel(a close subordinate of Keith Shadis) from the Survey Corps, 2 Staff Sergeants from the Stationary Guard and Military Police respectively, a fellow corporal from the Survey Corps-

_No._

The ensuing chaos around him ceased to exist as sharp blue eyes zeroed in on one name amongst the static words, a single line in the linear chain of text.

_Nadeshiko Ruri Age: 21 Division: Scouting Legion_

The shouts of his fellow soldiers were reduced to muffled cries as their faces became blurred, the contours distorted. He re-read the name, double read it, triple read it, holding on to some stubbrn hope that it was his mind playing tricks on him. It couldn't be her…. could it?

Her name was on the list of missing people, in static, unrelenting print. Levi's face was its usual, unfeeling mask, but his hands shook uncontrollably as they crumpled the edges of the damned paper. He refused to believe it; he _wouldn't_ believe it. She was the other half of humanity's strongest pair, she was one of the best, she wouldn't go down that easily, she was probably still out rounding up stragglers, they had made a mistake, they-

"Levi."

He didn't need the awkward pat on the shoulder for it to sink in; the look Erwin gave him said it all. He felt his throat constrict from something other than his cravat as sorrow permeated every pore on his being. She was the last person he thought would leave him, yet she already had. Why hadn't he seen it coming? It was so natural, so inevitable; for everyone he ever cared for to leave his side. His heart clenched in his chest and he almost doubled-over as memories of that recent night hit him like a 15 meter titan.

…

_Her fiery blue orbs returned his gaze in a silent vow._

"_**I won't.**__"_

**A/N:**

Disclaimer- I don't own Shingeki no Kyojin(In my dreams or in reality), Isayama Hajime does.

Whew…so that was the first chapter. Hopefully, it didn't disappoint. This story will be following the actual plot for the most part, except for the addition of my OC and a **slight** crossover with DGM(hint hint). I considered labeling it as a crossover, but I don't think the degree of crossing over warrants that kind of label. I'll probably be updating every 2 weeks or so, so hopefully no one gets too bored while waiting. Also, don't forget to review and favourite! I'm also open to any suggestions regarding the storyline so feel free to PM me:).

Also, the italics are for flashbacks and the characters' thoughts, the big chunks of italics are the flashbacks and the 1-3 liners are generally the thoughts.

-tofoo


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Shadow

**Year 850**

The air was thick with dust and the metallic smell of blood; a stark contrast to the town, which looked painstakingly normal, save for the occasional wreckage of a building, crushed under the steaming body of a slain titan. The silence enveloping the town was so tranquil, so uniform… so foreboding. The man couldn't help but notice this as he hung, like a broken doll, about to fall to pieces at any moment. His legs and pretty much everything comprising his lower body had long stopped struggling, slipping towards the back of the titan's throat. His mind, unlike his body, wasn't about to stop fighting anytime soon. The pain had already faded to a dull burn; the continuous gnawing of the titan had probably cut off circulation to his lower body.

"Just-Just watch…You bastards."

The gnawing didn't stop as unfeeling eyes looked straight ahead, taunting him.

His muscles screamed in protest as he made a valiant effort to lift his torso, his stomach pushing painfully against the blunt edge of the man-eater's teeth.

"Mankind will destroy you all…"

The gnawing continued.

"Mankind will survive!"

His resolve was evident as his words came out in a choked, but determined cry. Throwing all his remaining strength into a single blow, he rammed one of his blades into the gaunt cheek of the titan, relishing the sound of the steel burying itself deep in the beast's flesh.

He knew he had hit a nerve (metaphorically and literally) when the titan's eyes swiveled to face him. He felt an excruciating pain as the strength of the titan's bite trebled. The sickening sound of teeth on flesh filled the air and he was sure he heard a bone snap, an agonized scream torn from his lungs.

"You bastards will all…"

His hand trembled as his grip on his blade weakened, the fresh surge of pain nearly unbearable.

"**Fall to Corporal Levi!"**

As if on cue, a blur of colour whizzed past the titan, a clean cut now evident on its nape.

The blur that was the said corporal came into focus as Levi slowed down after his whirling attack. Sharp blue eyes inspected his handiwork, which now adorned the titan's neck.

Landing softly on a nearby rooftop, Levi watched, face passive, as the titan fell with resounding thud. He swung around to survey the rest of the abandoned town, noting the number of titans in the area.

_One on the right… Two on the left…_

3 successive thuds notified him of his squad members' arrival.

"Captain, I've brought the reinforcements!"

He turned to see the familiar faces of Erd, Gunther and Petra.

"Petra, tend to the soldier down there, the rest of you attack the titan on the right. I'll clean up those on the left."

With that, he leapt off the rooftop, Petra's shocked cries echoing behind him.

…

The eaves of the crumbling house creaked in warning of its impending fall as a chunk of plaster narrowly missed the cloaked figure. The article of clothing was made of dark cloth with a kind of glossy sheen; quality material, on par with the specifically engineered cloaks of the Scouting Legion. The hood obscured the individual's face as he(or she) shrank back against the rough wall of the narrow alley. The figure looked up sharply as the hiss of gas from the 3D Maneuver Gear cut through the silence. The hood slipped back slightly, revealing a smooth jawline and small, feminine lips. The person immediately slipped further into the shadows as a certain Corporal zipped past overhead, although it was evident that she continued to observe from under the cowl.

The heavy thud of a felled titan was heard mere seconds later.

The figure peered round the corner of the entrance of the alley, only to see Levi making short work of the second titan in the vicinity. A wry smirk seemed to tug at her pale lips.

"Still the same, huh."

There was a whirl of black as the figure swung around at the voice, cloak flying with the momentum. Another cloaked figure stood expectantly at the other end of the alley, the hood was down, revealing a middle-aged man with a greying beard and unruly grey hair, which was tied messily in the likeness of a ponytail.

"Geez, you scared me there, Colonel, thought my cover was blown," her voice was light and melodic, but belied a firm undertone, which made her all the more mysterious.

"It would have been, if you continued staring at that Levi kid." His playful tone was lost, replaced by a fatherly chastising manner.

The other figure made a muffled scoffing sound, slipping into the shadows next to her companion, a slight rosy tint was visible on her cheeks.

"Come on, we've got work to do."

…

Levi was cleaning the titan filth of his hands when a blur of black flickered in his peripheral vision. He paused, allowing the sickening stickiness of steaming titan blood to remain on his hands a little longer. Blue eyes scrutinized the entrance to an alley, from his position on the roof of a building. He blinked, staring at it a bit longer before dismissing it as a trick of the light. After all, the main enemies out here were the titans.

He needed to return to Petra soon; the soldier he saved wasn't going to last long.

…

The two cloaked figures were probably the predecessors of modern day ninjas. They slipped through the town's network of alleys with practiced grace and speed; soft footsteps providing a purposeful rhythm to their journey. They were never in the same place for more than a second; their black shadows seemed to be everywhere, behind a shop window, ghosting through a backdoor, ducking behind an archway, it was as if they were part of the town itself.

" You're really looking forward to it, aren't you?"

It was the Colonel's voice, gruff yet gentle, as if he was almost apologetic.

"To what?" The other was clearly being defensive; she had been caught and was desperately to trying to cover up.

"You want to see him again. I almost feel bad for interrupting your staring back there."

The other was silent this time, unable to make a quick come back, she let her mute answer get lost in the quick patter of their footsteps. Once again, the silent pair wove through the streets, their gait unchanging.

…

Petra was already a wreck; tears wetting bloodied hands, which were pressing hard in a futile attempt to staunch the crimson flow.

The soldier was obviously not going to make it out of the town. Levi recognized the look in his eyes; the lost hope, the acceptance of death… He had seen it many times—too many. The scenarios were all too familiar, they would be battered, broken, nearly lifeless and yet they would still be crawling to him, trying their best for him. One would think that the guilt would have killed him by now; honestly, he thought so too. Yet at some point, the chasm in his chest couldn't seem to deepen anymore, it was as if it had eaten away at his heart until it was no more, leaving behind this pit of nothingness which seemed bottomless, but wasn't. Maybe he was numb, the pain so constant and omnipresent that it became a part of his very being. Every subsequent death, every subsequent loss just left a dull pain, which throbbed continuously until it too, was lost in the darkness of the pit.

The soldier's raspy voice was lost on his ears, but he saw the lips weakly mouthing 'heichou'.

He replied, ignoring the dull ring of pain reverberating in the chasm.

"Was I…useful to mankind?" the man wheezed.

_Don't fucking ask that kind of question on your deathbed._

That was what Levi wanted to say. Instead, he gripped the soldier's blood-tainted hand, conveying his respect. The bloodied hand still held on to some semblance of warmth as it gripped Levi's calloused one.

"You've done more than enough until now… and you'll continue to do so. Your will… it will give me strength. I swear, I will defeat the titans!"

His voice started out low and ended in a determined shout. The dull ringing was now threatening to make him double over. He wondered briefly if the chasm had begun to deepen once more.

Petra's soft voice seemed loud in the dead silence, an unwanted message that the soldier was longer with them. Indeed, the hand in his was slowly, but surely, losing its warmth.

"Do you think he heard the last part?"

The blood was cold as it trickled down his palm, like the life seeping out of a corpse.

"I'm sure he did, I-I mean, he's sleeping so peacefully."

Petra's amber eyes were reminiscent of molten gold as she tried to assure him, her hand reaching over to cover his in a painfully familiar gesture. Levi tried to suppress the flood of memories as she threaded her fingers through his.

"Then it's fine."

He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze, before standing up, only to hear the sound of approaching hooves.

_Back to business._

…

Sharp nails dug deep into the cracks in the wall through the thin material of gloves. The cloaked figure was pressed up against a wall in the alley, about ten meters from where Levi and Petra mourned for their fallen comrade. The former's companion leaned casually against the opposite wall, the pair was clearly waiting for something.

Blue eyes stared at the Survey Corps duo with a hardened gaze; the small squeeze of Petra's hand, the way Levi's hand gripped hers with a comfortable familiarity, the way he seemed to be unwilling to let go—it didn't go unnoticed.

_I knew he wouldn't be the same anymore._

It was only when the sound of the rest of the squad arriving was heard that the figure drew her gaze away from the duo. She quickly withdrew her nails from the wall, body tense with anticipation as Erwin broke the news of the breach of Wall Rose.

She spared a quick glance in her companion's direction. He signaled for her to remain alert and listen closely.

_Any time now._

Levi and Petra were now mounting their horses, preparing for the return journey.

A sonorous command alerted the cloaked duo of the squad's departure.

In the blink of an eye, they were out of the shadows, making a beeline for the solitary figure waiting on his horse. Erwin had commanded the squad to go ahead of him, promising to catch up once they reached the edge of the town.

"We'll make this quick for you; we just need the date, Erwin."

The Colonel's voice was serious and business-like.

Erwin gave a small smile at the cloaked man.

"Seems that these five years have changed you too, Colonel Tiedoll."

"Your squad needs you back soon, Erwin, we're in titan territory."

The Colonel tapped his foot impatiently.

"You're one to talk," Erwin said dryly.

"In about a month's time. We're probably having our 57th expedition about then. The rest of the information is in here. We'll be expecting you."

The Colonel nodded grimly and swiftly pocketed the envelope in Erwin's hand, motioning for his companion to follow him as he made for the alleys once more. However, before they could disappear into the shadows, Erwin's voice reached them, this time addressed to the other individual.

"See you then, Corporal."

…

It was already evening when two cloaked silhouettes slipped into a building amidst the ruins of wall Maria. The tangerine rays of the setting sun filtered in through a curtained window, streaking the pair in its orange glow. The two cloaks were discarded, hung on crude hooks nailed into the stone walls.

"Ugh, that was tiring."

A young woman, clearly in her twenties stretched lazily, her bones snapping out of stiffness. She had long onyx hair which flowed down to the slight curve of her hipbones. She seemed to be around 5'2", with a slim, lean figure. Messily parted bangs brushed her eyelids, her eyes a sharp icy blue.

" Not exactly what you would want to hear from your junior," commented the Colonel, grey eyes twinkling with amusement.

" You got that right, old man."

The former laughed as she climbed the stairs to the next floor, where she was greeted by an excited yell and a startling impact, which nearly had her falling back down the stairs.

"RI-CHAN'S BAAAAAAACK!"

The excited yell belonged to a man who seemed to be in his early twenties, with unruly maroon hair and an eye-patch over one eye. He had hurtled into the woman and was hugging her tightly, despite her obvious strangled gasps.

"Lavi, I've had enough of titan's trying to break my bones today, I don't need you to do so too," the woman gasped.

" Awwww, Ri-chan's cranky…" The redhead grinned gleefully, emerald green eye winking down at her, still not relinquishing his hold on her.

Blue eyes glared up at him; he was rather tall, his female companion was only at his shoulder. They were standing in an atrium-like room with a double-height ceiling, the room seemed to function as an office, individual desks lining the walls, piled with various documents.

"This kid just keeps growing taller and taller…hormones," the shorter of the two muttered under her breath.

"Lavi, let Ruri get some rest, we've got some serious work to do later," the Colonel appeared at the top of the stairs, a hand combing through his bush-like hair.

"Eh~ I don't wanna."

"Damned bunny, if you don't release Nadeshiko-senpai this instant, I'll slice you," a low voice growled.

The trio turned to see the source of the threat, only to see a poker-faced young man with long, midnight blue hair, which was tied neatly in a ponytail. One of his hands gripped the hilt of what seemed to be a sheathed sword, dark eyes flashing menacingly.

"Kanda-kun, violence is not encouraged towards your comrades," the woman chided, still stuck in the redhead's grasp.

"Ah, Yuu-kun~"

It was the Colonel's turn to hurtle towards an unsuspecting victim, sweeping the blue-haired youth into a fatherly embrace.

There was an awkward moment of silence as 'Yuu-kun' realized what had just happened.

"LET GO OF ME, OLD GEEZER!"

The Colonel and his captive victim soon disappeared in a writhing mass of limbs as the latter struggled viciously. The long-haired youth was stronger than his feminine looks suggested.

"Ruri-senpai!"

The dark-haired woman looked towards the stairway, where a third youth was rushing down the stairs towards her. She groaned inwardly; her comrades were materializing out of nowhere. Quickly using the situation to her advantage, she wriggled free of Lavi's grasp.

"Allen! How was your mission?"

She made her way towards the new arrival; a white-haired youth with grey eyes.

Allen laughed at the way she kept casting wary glances at Lavi, anticipating another hug attack. His smile morphed into an evil smirk when he saw Kanda struggling in the Colonel's embrace; he and the blue-haired youth were known for not getting along well.

"It was fine. Say, did you manage to get the information from the Scouting Legion?"

At the mention of the data, the whole room grew quiet, having completely forgotten the objective of the Colonel and Ruri's journey. Allen's eyes grew wide, briefly wondering if he had said something wrong.

"Indeed, Allen-kun, thank you for reminding me, we're holding a meeting to discuss the information that me and Ruri obtained. Go get the rest, we're assembling in ten minutes."

Colonel Tiedoll was all business once more, having failed to keep his hold on 'Yuu-kun'.

"Sorry Ruri, look's like resting will have to wait," the Colonel sighed.

"It's fine," Ruri settled herself on the edge of a desk, "after all, we are planning _that_, right?"

The Colonel looked at her knowingly.

"Indeed, it's about time we returned eh? To Rose and Sina, our old friends."

**A/N:**

Things are starting to get a little interesting hohoho~~. This was kind of a boring chapter, I know. Just bear with me a little longer, I promise the next chapter will be better. Honestly, writing this is harder than I thought (Yes, I'm a complete newbie).

Like I said before there will be a slight crossover with DGM. So, if you're not a follower of DGM, the new characters I introduced are all from there: Allen Walker, Lavi Bookman, Froi Tiedoll and Kanda Yuu.

Also, don't forget to favourite and review!

P.S the next chapter may come earlier than you think~

-Tofoo


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Reunion**

The dull granite walls of Shiganshina's town council building were once bursting with life; the one place in town where everyone seemed to be at one point or another. As the solitary building stood amidst the wreckage of Wall Maria, one couldn't help but wonder why the biggest structure in town suffered minimal damage during the breach. As Ruri stretched her legs across her desk, reclining back into her chair, she smiled wryly.

_If only they knew what it's being used for now._

She sighed in contentment as a gentle breeze entered through one of the open windows, lifting her onyx locks. She was clad in a simple white dress shirt and black short shorts, a black pair of thigh-high boots completed her ensemble. This was one of her rare moments of alone time; most of her comrades were out on missions, the few who remained were busy catching up on some sleep after long journeys through titan territory. It was ironic, the idea of enjoying a peaceful moment in the midst of titan-infested lands. Ruri would never have guessed that the titans were generally quite passive when they weren't trying to gorge themselves on humans. They barely entered the ruins of Wall Maria unless a particularly large group of humans was there and since Ruri and her companions travelled in small groups of two to three, they rarely posed a threat. Also, despite the whole group of about ten of them inhabiting the ex-town council building, the titans didn't seem to notice them unless they were particularly loud and active. It was almost as if they had learned to co-exist and after five years, Ruri could confidently say that this was the closest to home outside the walls that they could get.

A loud slamming of the door echoed throughout the main atrium of the building, jerking Ruri out of her reverie. The sudden noise was followed by heavy footsteps up the stairs leading up to the atrium; they had taken to using the back door rather than the main entrance, which was barred by fallen pillars from five years ago. A black fedora-like hat peeked over the edge of the stairs and Ruri groaned as a middle-aged man with long, unruly red hair appeared, dragging Allen behind him.

The man's scarlet hair obscured the right side of his face, although Ruri knew a white mask was underneath, covering half of his face. As she neared the pair, she instinctively wrinkled her nose; the stench of alcohol and tobacco was overpowering.

_Slacking off again huh?_

"Good day, Staff Sergeant Cross," Ruri's smile was obviously fake.

"Ah, Ruri, got some news from Trost," he glanced at her, red eyes peering through wire-framed glasses.

"You went to Trost!? Isn't your mission supposed to be outside the walls?"

Ruri didn't want to believe that all of the Military Police were good-for-nothing slobs, but their ex-Staff Sergeant was making it hard.

"Yeah, I had a few errands to run."

The red-haired man grunted as he settled himself into a chair. His nonchalance was going to kill Ruri one day.

"Errands, huh?" Ruri ran a hand through her hair in exasperation.

"Yeah, like buying alcohol and flirting with girls who could be his daughters," Allen said darkly, clearly not appreciating being dragged around by his superior.

Ruri looked like she was ready to castrate the man right there.

"But we did get some interesting news though," Allen added quickly, noticing her expression.

A thin brow was arched as Ruri shifted her gaze expectantly.

"The expedition's been delayed by a week. Apparently, the Survey Corps obtained a titan shifter."

…

Erwin Smith chuckled to himself in his office. Mike Zakarius had left shortly before, but not before seeing right through his main objective for the 57th expedition.

No, this expedition wasn't just for testing Eren's ability to aid humanity; it was much, much more. The man couldn't help but let loose another chuckle as he thought about it.

_Just you wait Mike, this is going to be way more than you expect._

…

**The 57****th**** Expedition**

The sound of heavy footsteps literally shook the entire forest, the female titan pursuing Levi's Squad with dogged perseverance.

A thousand things were running through Levi's mind; a winding path through the trees to throw their pursuer off? A close-range combat attempt, utilizing the trees in the forest? Perhaps even Eren using his titan abilities? The options were endless, but the distance between them and the titan was not. In fact, she was catching up at an alarming speed, swatting soldiers out of her way with ease.

_Damned bitch._

The wind rushed past with a deafening roar as his squad cut through the trees, the horses' hooves thundering in the likeness of a battle hymn. The tension was thick, like a dense fog covering them, the wind doing nothing to clear it. His squad was uneasy, he could tell. He had already fired a sound grenade to remind them of the objective of the trip, but all it did was make them quiet down, in fact, it didn't even seem to affect Eren; the boy was still eager to transform into his titan form.

Despite the wind roaring in his ears, he heard Petra's desperate cries. Eren was trying to bite his hand. He couldn't really blame the boy though, the screams of the soldiers as the female titan swatted, slapped and kicked them away were enough to make anyone feel sick. Even then, none of his squad knew the real objective behind the mission; to draw out the mole in the Legion. He needed to stall them for just a little longer, they would reach the ambush area for the female titan in a matter of minutes.

"Eren, I can trust my own abilities, I can trust the decisions my companions make, but none of us will ever know which choice is the best until we make it. So, choose what you believe in."

Eren was immediately silent, while Levi could hear Petra's desperate attempts to convince him against the transformation. He urged his horse to speed up, digging his heels into its sides. The rest of his squad unconsciously followed, their horses following the example of their leader.

_Just a little longer._

He almost let his relief show on his face when he saw Erwin and the rest up ahead. His ears seemed to cease functioning, not hearing Eren's decision not to transform, not hearing Petra's relieved words, the sound of the wind muffled and distant. It was the final lap. As his squad galloped through the clearing, he heard the restraints being fired, ensnaring the female titan.

…

The trees were like a curtain, concealing Ruri's presence as she glided through the forest, her dark cloak blending into the dappled shadows cast by the canopy. Her hooded figure had been trailing Levi's squad since they entered the forest; a rather familiar scenario. So far it hadn't been too hard, with her abilities, she didn't need the 3D Maneuver gear, so her movements were silent without the slightest hiss of pressurized gas. The wind parted her cloak as she flew, revealing her black knee length boots. Knee pads were covering her knees while two black straps hugged a thigh each. A thin line of green went from her toes up to her knees, glowing as her speed increased. A scream and sickening crunch drew her attention to the female titan, which was pursuing Levi's squad. The titan was obviously abnormal, it was intelligent; it knew how the 3D Maneuver Gear worked, taking advantage of the propelling effect of the gas and crushing soldiers effortlessly. Ruri narrowed her eyes as another soldier was crushed against a tree. She had never forgotten the feeling of watching her comrades die, even after leaving the Legion. But today she had a goal to accomplish, she couldn't afford to have her cover blown just yet. That was when she heard it; the cacophony of explosions signaling the female titan's capture. Steel blue eyes focused on Levi's squad in anticipation as Ruri went over the plan in her head once more.

…

"_Erwin wants us to join them during their 57__th__ expedition outside the walls," Colonel Tiedoll's brows were furrowed as he scrutinized the envelope in his hands._

_The announcement was followed by sharp sounds of protest from the people surrounding his desk._

"_What?!"_

"_That's just illogical!"_

" _I knew that kid was messed up in the head." _

"_Colonel, surely you can see that this is completely impractical."_

_Despite holding a high rank in the Survey Corps, the Colonel had never been particularly gifted in physical combat, he was known for formulating the best strategies when he was under Keith Shadis, making him an invaluable asset for not only the Survey Corps, but the military as a whole. He was also known for having an unshakable calm demeanor, which he demonstrated perfectly as his subordinates objected fiercely._

"_It does seem quite illogical at first glance," the room became silent, " but I'm pretty sure that what Erwin wants to do is prove our loyalty to the military through this."_

"_How?" was the question everyone wanted to ask, but their queries were soon answered as the Colonel continued._

"_Every expedition, we lose a significant percentage of our soldiers. But, with our abilities, we can definitely reduce that number. So, I'm thinking that we tail them during their expedition and act as their anonymous cover team."_

"_Won't they just get suspicious and try to capture us?" Cross didn't look too convinced._

"_Probably, but would they feel more inclined towards a random group of strangers who return to the walls after being missing for 5 years or the anonymous saviors of their men? Their main enemies out in the fields are the titans and they know it, they wouldn't turn away assistance if they're thinking. Remember, Staff Sergeant Cross, that they only permitted us to return because they needed help after the breach of Rose, they're still wary of us. We have to prove our usefulness to them at all costs."_

_Lavi's snort was sharp against the tense atmosphere._

"_Isn't that exactly what they're trying to do with the Titan shifter kid? Prove his loyalty and value to the Legion?" The implication was evident; the army's higher-ups trusted them as much as new recruits._

_An uncomfortable silence enveloped the group, they were all well aware of how the army viewed them, they just never really brought it up._

" _I get what you're trying to say, Lavi. But, this can actually be used to our advantage," Staff Sergeant Klaud Nyne of the Garrison was the second most respected in the group, after Colonel Tiedoll. She was a tall, blonde woman in her thirties, her face bore a large scar from the Fall of Wall Maria, although no one dared to ask about it._

"_The titan shifter, Eren Jaeger, if I'm not wrong, will pose an extra burden to the Legion since he'll need protection when he's not transformed. Us assisting them gives them even greater incentive to trust us, plus we're proving our experience in dealing with titans after 5 years in the field," Klaud's soothing voice was clear and confident._

"_Also, the fact that they chose the Forest of Giant Trees as the end destination is strange."_

_The Colonel was speaking again._

"_Given the long-range formation they're using, it makes no sense to enter a forest where they'll have to split up. The only advantage is that it allows for 3D Maneuver Gear usage, but if the whole objective of the formation is to avoid combat, it is completely counter-productive. In fact, the only logical benefit is if-"_

"_They're planning an ambush and Erwin wants us to be their hidden trump card against the enemy" Ruri was surprised when her conclusion slipped past her lips, all eyes immediately focusing on her._

_The Colonel's eyes shone with pride at her deduction._

"_Exactly, that's where we come in."_

…

Ruri inhaled sharply as she narrowly missed a protruding branch; flying through the woods at top speed was never a good idea. Levi had already joined Erwin back at the ambush site and she was left trailing the remainder of his squad. Her comrades had been assigned to watch over a different squad each. Of all the squads that they would 'assist', Ruri had been assigned the Elite squad, which Levi commanded. It made no sense to her; this squad would never need any help. She had questioned the Colonel on his decision, but his reply did little to lessen her doubts.

…

"_Colonel, I'll just end up tailing them the whole way!" _

"_Ruri, Erwin's course of action is going to cost him many lives and he knows it. The fact that he's willing to do this says something about the enemy. It's possible that the ambush may not be successful and in that case," he circled the location of Levi's squad in the formation, " this will be the enemy's direct target. The elite squad is gifted in offensive combat, but fighting while defending something is always harder. They'll probably leave the Eren kid alone while they deal with the enemy. The titan shifter is obviously the bait for the enemy here and with your abilities, it is only right to give you one of the more important tasks."_

_She looked at him, not comprehending._

"_Your job here isn't so much of lending assistance, it's to watch out for the threats that they don't notice. Only let your presence be known if they are in dire need of help."_

…

The squad had stopped moving now, on stand-by about twenty meters bellow where Ruri was hiding. She was hugging her legs to her chest; she needed to minimize her shadow, the probability of them discovering her was higher when they were stationary. However, now that they weren't on the move, she could see their faces clearly. She recognized Erd, he had been her batch mate back in the Legion. Despite graduating in the same batch as them, Levi had been fours years their senior, joining the legion later than most due to his history as a thug. Petra Ral was a familiar figure too, she had graduated in the batch after Ruri's and they had worked together prior to Ruri's disappearance. From what she could hear of their conversation, even they had been unaware of the ambush plan.

_So the enemy is in the Legion… Another titan shifter huh?_

The Colonel's words were starting to make a little more sense now. The squad knew about the ambush now, but they weren't clear on the big picture. Heck, even she didn't know all the details exactly. They were merely going on pure trust in their leader's orders. In the event of a surprise attack, it was possible that they could be caught off guard. As she thought about the ambush, she couldn't help but wonder what Levi was doing back there. He was probably doing his best to avenge his dead comrades, given the look on his face when he had joined Erwin; a hard mask of grim determination. She felt a twinge of guilt at the thought that she could have prevented some of the deaths of his comrades, but she could not afford her cover being blown. Her suspicions were confirmed as a tortured scream tore through the forest, no doubt the female titan was not having a good time. The sound was grating and harsh, it sounded wheezy and breathless, yet the volume made it similar to an enraged roar.

Ruri's hand immediately slipped under her cloak, gripping the hilts of the two swords she carried. Though her abilities gave her enough power to kick a titan across a field, it only applied to her legs. Sometimes, it was faster to just slice out a chunk of the neck. In this case, the enemy was intelligent and she had no desire to engage in prolonged direct combat.

The squad below also seemed to be on their guard, listening closely, their bodies tense with anticipation.

The scream ended soon enough, but the silence that followed too ominous to soothe Ruri's ears. Her grip tightened on her swords as the telltales of heavy footsteps reached her.

_Titans._

…

If Levi's grip on his blades didn't break them, he wasn't sure what would. The female titan had ruined all their efforts and sacrifices with that one scream. All that was left of her was a steaming mass of titan carcass, they hadn't expected the titan to destroy itself as a last resort. He wasn't even sure why Erwin had asked him to refill his blades and gas, the whole operation was a failure, there was no way they would risk anymore combat, all the unnecessary casualties were bad enough.

All around him, the blue flares were being fired. They soared up into the sky, like a broadcast of their failure. The rest of the soldiers would find out soon enough, the retreat was too abrupt, too soon, too desperate. Gritting his teeth, Levi whizzed past the trees, the goal of getting to his squad the only coherent thought in his mind.

…

Levi's squad was being too carefree for Ruri's liking. Sure, there wasn't anyone within a twenty meter radius, but it was still too early to relax. She was sure they knew this, but perhaps they were just trying to calm the titan shifter kid (Eren, was it?) down after all the excitement from before. The flares for retreating had been fired and the squad was currently on their way to reunite with their leader. Erd was telling Eren about how Petra and another squad member, Oluo, had wet their pants during their first mission. Ruri smiled wryly, none of them had seen Erd on his first mission, it was a classic tale within their batch.

The familiar sound of a grappling hook latching onto wood drew her attention to her left, where twenty meters below her, a hooded Scouting Legion member seemed to be travelling parallel to the squad. Gunther, one of Levi's squad members had noticed as well. Perhaps it was one of their subordinates?

_No._

Something just wasn't right, Ruri's gut instinct was telling her. Recognition was key among soldiers, the trust between soldiers in the Scouting Legion was strong, they didn't have any need to hide from each other. Furthermore, there was nobody in the vicinity, who were they hiding from? Her instincts had been nagging at her for some time now; the retreat had come too soon after the scream, the interval was hardly sufficient to carve a person out of a titan and apply proper restraints. Her blood ran cold as she realized the danger.

_It's the enemy._

Gunther seemed to have figured it out too, for she could hear the interrogatory inflection as he yelled at the mysterious figure.

The next few moments happened too fast for her to prevent. She saw the flash of steel as the figure made a sharp turn, the angle was too sharp for an attack on the man, instead, a clean cut of his wire sent him swinging straight into a tree, his neck snapping noticeably.

All of Ruri's senses were on full alert now, Eren's screams ringing in her ears, her gaze following the enemy who was darting through the trees, her blades drawn and ready. The ambush had failed, she was positive now. This was exactly what the Colonel had warned her about, an unexpected attack. Her mind was immediately calculating the enemy's objective.

The enemy was after Eren and from what she could hear from its scream earlier on, it was desperate, ready to use everything it had. If what she had heard was correct, the enemy was also a titan shifter and it was possible that another transformation would be used as a last resort.

She descended sharply as the hooded figure disappeared under a patch of interlacing branches.

_It's coming._

As soon as the thought had entered her mind, a blinding burst of light and heat enveloped her, the sudden surge of energy was almost tangible. The titan emerged, running at full speed towards the remainder of Levi's squad. Just as the Colonel had predicted, Eren was advancing alone, the remaining three turning to deal with the titan.

_Alright, let's see what you've got._

Depending on how the situation played out, Ruri was going to have to be ready to engage in combat. Keeping an eye on Eren's retreating figure, she landed softly on a branch, trying to calm the wild palpitations of her heart. It was unlikely that the female titan had subordinates that could go after Eren while she was occupied, but Ruri wouldn't take any chances this time.

Petra and Oluo had already made the titan lose its sight, its eyes blinded for at least another minute while it regenerated. The titan was now backed up against a tree, its hands shielding its neck. She watched as Erd signaled for the others to go for the titan's shoulder joints.

_They're trying to weaken the arms, to get to the neck._

The titan's joints were always weaker, the tissue there softer and thinner to allow for greater mobility. She felt a surge of pride as she watched her ex-batch mate direct the others, the team making quick work of the titan's shoulders. The man-eater was now a picture of defeat, blinded, cornered, arms limp. As Erd swung towards the neck, Ruri allowed herself a small smile.

_Go for it, Erd._

Erd approached the titan at top speed, blades ready, stance purposeful… only to be caught in the titan's jaws as it lashed out at the last second.

Ruri didn't even have time to process the horror in her mind, alarm bells were ringing in her ears. She leapt off the branch, plummeting straight for the scene bellow. She could barely formulate a strategy now, only managing to quickly analyse the situation. Erd was dead, Petra and Oluo were in panic, the team was a mess and she needed to step in now. Between the remaining two, she needed to figure out who to help first. Petra was clearly more of an emotional wreck, but Oluo was closer to the titan. A flash of red muscle showed the female titan sprinting straight for Petra, who was still in shock, letting her 3D maneuver gear drag her through the undergrowth. She was clearly within stepping range of the titan.

_Petra it is._

Adjusting her angle, she dove straight for Petra, cutting her lines and pulling her out of the way just before the titan crushed her against a tree. The woman was still in shock, tears in her eyes, garbled sounds of anguish escaping her lips.

_Shit._

Ruri noticed the awkward angle Petra's ankle was at; she hadn't managed to pull her out of the way in time. She quickly swung herself round a tree, ready to face the titan, Petra swinging limply in her arms. The titan was staring at where Petra had been, seemingly stunned by the sudden intervention. It didn't even seem to notice Oluo going straight for its neck. Ruri knew in an instant, it was a bad idea. Given the intelligence the titan had shown so far, it was probably using its unshielded neck as bait; it still had something up its sleeve.

She was already accelerating towards Oluo when his blades snapped against hard crystal.

_It can harden its skin selectively?_

Shifting Petra's weight onto one arm, she pushed herself straight into Oluo, narrowly missing the titan's flying kick.

She half-dragged Oluo with her while she flew straight out of the clearing, the man quickly starting to follow her by himself, much to her relief. However, before she could even get twenty meters between them and the enemy, an enraged roar shook the entire forest.

_What now?_

Ruri looked back, only to see Eren, in his titan form, going straight for the enemy. She had completely forgotten about the boy when saving the others, clearly an enraged titan shifter wasn't what she needed now.

Once they were a safe distance from the titans, she turned around (still flying), to address Oluo.

"Both of you need to get to your horses and catch up with the rest," Ruri knew that she couldn't afford to waste too much time, she needed to do something about Eren.

"Are you kidding me? We need to get back there and help Eren!" Oluo was incredulous, having regained some of his composure.

"You can't intervene now, you'll be dealing with two angered and intelligent titans!" Ruri was beginning to get frustrated with the man. Couldn't he see that they were in no state to fight?

"We're the Levi squad! If we don't step in, who can?" Petra sided with Oluo, struggling in Ruri's grasp.

" For God's sake, you're only half of the Levi squad and one of you doesn't even have your 3DMG!" Ruri gestured towards Petra's severed lines.

"And exactly who are you?" Oluo's gaze was suspicious and hostile.

_Damn_.

Ruri knew there was no other choice; she pulled down her hood, her hair unraveling around her face. She knew that she had done the right thing when Petra's struggling stopped, her face frozen in shock.

"Ruri…"

…

Levi was in a pinch, no doubt about it. Eren had been bitten clean out of his titan body, half of his squad was missing, the other half was dead and he was currently dealing with a very, very vengeful Mikasa. As much as he wanted to take everything out on the female titan, he had a plan to follow; he needed to get Eren and retreat as soon as possible. The female titan was going at a slower pace now, probably tired from Mikasa's brazen slashing spree. Taking advantage of the situation, he ordered Mikasa to distract the titan while he launched an all-out attack on it.

Unlike Mikasa, his movements were timed, controlled and inhumanly accurate. He went through his attack like a dance routine; it was systematic, first the eyes, then the leg joints, followed by the arms, the transitions between attacks were effortless and quick, wasting neither gas nor time. Before the titan could even recover from his first attack, he had it slumped against a tree in a last ditch attempt to shield its nape.

It looked like he could easily go for the kill now, the titan's arms hanging limp by its sides. But to his experienced eye, it was easy to tell that as long as the titan could harden its skin, going straight for the nape was a risk. Mikasa, unfortunately, lacked that experience. He heard her line lodge itself into the titan's nape before he saw it. By the time he looked, she was already cutting through the air, blades raised. He yelled for her to stop, but it was to late. Even then, he had lost enough men in the last few hours and he wasn't going to lose another, especially not the top graduate of the 104th. Cursing quietly, he veered sharply, his lines hooking onto a tree and leading him straight for Mikasa. He slammed into her at full force, pushing her out of reach of the raised hand of the titan. Its movements were still sluggish but having a hundred pound hand collide with your foot was never a pleasant experience. He felt his ankle twist, the pain a sharp jolt through his nervous system.

_Goddamned bitch-_

All thoughts of the pain immediately left his mind when a dark-coloured blur materialized before him, a hooded figure kicking away the hand which had injured him. He barely registered the sound of steel on flesh as the stranger sliced the titan's jaw, grabbing a slime-coated Eren from it's gaping mouth. Before he could even regain his composure, the figure was gone in a dark blur, heading straight for the forest's exit. Mikasa's gasp soon jerked him out of his stupor and in an instant, he was whizzing through the foliage, ready to pursue the mysterious figure. That is, until the figure stopped and seemed to beckon to him… Perhaps it wasn't an enemy after all?

But then again, he was Levi, and even in his confused state, he wasn't going to take any risks. The stranger only seemed to realize his intentions seconds before the hilt of his blade slammed into his(or her) head and by then there was no escape.

_Brilliant, another body to carry._

**A/N:**

Disclaimer—I don't own Shingeki no Kyojin or DGM, they belong to their rightful owners.

OH. MAI. FISH. That was a really long chapter. I tried to make it an early update, but I was still slower than I hoped:/. It wasn't meant to be that long, but somehow it just ended up like this. I was actually kind of moping around, because almost nobody seemed to be reading this stuff(apart from my 1st few lovely readers), but recently, my follows and favourites went up! That really made my day and I immediately started writing this to thank all of you wonderful readers . This is kind of meant to be my Christmas present for you all, but I couldn't really finish it in time… so just take it as a symbol of my gratitude anyway.

Don't forget to favourite and follow, reviews are awesome too! They make me feel all fuzzy and warm (and they get my writing spirit up).

-Tofoo:3


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